One of the things I’ve focused on most since 2026 began is working on becoming more comfortable and effective with AI. As part of that, I’ve set up and run a study group, and I’ve also been trying to share the small talents I have.
Every now and then I meet people who want to start something but hesitate, or who struggle because they don’t know how to begin. In those cases, I sometimes help them work through the problem definition together, or share approaches and methodologies. If something is already underway, I help build execution momentum by laying it out into concrete schedules and milestones.
If it’s work someone is used to doing on a project basis, it’s relatively easy to get started, but once it becomes your own personal project, it seems nobody finds it easy. Some people want to start a project for a personal goal, others for a business purpose, but in practice, many end up stuck not knowing where or how to begin.
When I talk things through with people like that and help work out a direction together, I often find that more people than you’d expect go on to execute well on their own.
As I kept having these experiences, I saw a call for new mentors for AI·SW Maestro in February, prepared an application, and applied. The result, though, was that I was cut at the document screening stage.
I’d had some expectations, but it made me realize all over again how many outstanding people there are in the world. As it happened, I ran into an executive from my previous company in February who mentioned he was also interested, and I thought, “if people at that level are applying, this won’t be easy” — and it turned out the competition really was quite fierce.
I’ve met many founders, have a wide range of project experience, and thought I had a fairly broad technical range. I figured I could contribute plenty from a project management perspective in particular, but the bar for an AI·SW Maestro mentor turned out to be higher than I expected.
Even so, if an opportunity like this comes around again, I’d like to try again. To give someone advice, you have to think it through that much more deeply, and I believe that process itself ultimately becomes growth for both me and the other person.
If you know of any good communities or opportunities to take on a challenge, please point me toward them!
#AI #AIStudy #Mentoring #CareerGrowth #LearningByDoing #ProjectManagement #ContinuousLearning #TechLeadership